Page Contents for Fort Valley, Georgia

Statistics & Facts

Location

Weather & Climate

History & History-related items

City Attractions

Government

Chamber of Commerce.

Community events.

Organizations, Churches, and Sports.

Libraries.

Schools.

Miscellany

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Statistics & Facts

The Georgia state capital is Atlanta.
The population of Fort Valley is approximately 8,074 (2009), 9815 (2010).
The approximate number of families is 3,303 (2000), 3107 (2010).
The amount of land area in Fort Valley is 13.653 sq. kilometers.
The amount of land area in Fort Valley is 5.3 sq. miles.
The amount of surface water is 0 sq kilometers.
The distance from Fort Valley to Washington DC is 593 miles.
The distance to the Georgia state capital is 89 miles. (as the crow flies)
Fort Valley is positioned 32.55 degrees north of the equator and 83.88 degrees west of the prime meridian.
Fort Valley elevation is 518 feet above sea level.
Fort Valley per capita income is $ 18,136 (2009).
Fort Valley median income is $ 29,536 (2009).
The Fort Valley median home price is $ 93,857 (2009).
Fort Valley average annual rainfall is 44 inches per year
The average low temperature is 52.4 degrees F.
The average high temperature is 64.4 degrees F.

Location

in central Georgia about 24 miles from Macon. Other nearby communities are: Marshallville, Zenith, Byron, Perry, Reynolds, Centerville, Roberta and Warner Robins.

Here is a map page for Fort Valley.
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Climate

great! Temperatures are moderate all year long with mid-spring and fall most enjoyable of all. There is sunshine about 66% of the time during the year with fall as the driest time of year and spring as the wettest. Snow is very rare, but does fall from time to time.
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History & History Related Items

The naming of Fort Valley is not quite certain. There are a couple of ideas on the origin on the name - first, that founder Everett named it Fox Valley but his writing was mis-read by the post office officials and they called it Fort Valley. The second story is that the town was named for Everett's friend, Arthur Fort, from nearby Milledgeville. He was a war hero in the Revolutionary War. There was never a fort here.

A post office was opened on 7 Dec 1825 with the name of Fort Valley and with James Everett as the postmaster. This location was then in Crawford County. The county boundaries didn't move, but Fort Valley did - about two miles from its original site. The railroad played a large role in populating the area. The tracks ran right through the town. A new depot was built in 1871 and a passenger terminal added in 1900. The railroad kept the town active and businesses near the depot busy. This was especially true during the hectic peach season each summer.

The city was first chartered on 3 March 1856 and later incorporated. A nearby peach grower, Samuel H. Rumph, discovered a new variety of peach he named Elberta, after his wife. This peach strain became the most famous variety for many, many years. The peach became the most important item in the area, ruling the economy and business. A new county, named Peach County, was created in 1924 to honor this association. At one time there were over 50 packing sheds for peaches in Fort Valley and the nearby area. A large ice plant was built in 1925 to fuel the need for ice in keeping the peaches fresh in the packing sheds, trucks and in the railroad cars. Though these massive amounts of ice are no longer needed, the ice plant is still used today as a cold storage area.

Here is a history page for Fort Valley.
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Attractions

Massee Lane Gardens - A nine acre area at Massee Lane, the historic home of the American Camellia Society

World headquarters of the Blue Bird Corporation - builder of school busses.

Home of the Georgia Peach Festival
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Fort Valley City Government

Fort Valley, Georgia
P.O. Box 956
204 West Church St.
Fort Valley, Georgia 31030
Phone: 478-825-8261

Fort Valley is the County Seat of Peach County.

Fort Valley Chamber

Peach County Chamber of Commerce
201 Oakland Heights Parkway
Fort Valley, Georgia 31030
Phone: 478-825-3733

Fort Valley Community Events

Georgia Peach Festival
P.O. Box 2001
Fort Valley, GA 31030
Toll-Free 1-87-PEACHES-1
Phone: 1-877-322-4371

Fort Valley Organizations

Peach County Chamber of Commerce
201 Oakland Heights Parkway
Fort Valley, Georgia 31030
Phone: 478-825-3733

Fort Valley Libraries

Peach Public Library System

Thomas Public Library
System Headquarters
315 Martin Luther King Dr.
Fort Valley, GA
Phone: 478-825-1640

Fort Valley Schools

Peach County Schools
523 Vineville St.
Fort Valley, GA 31030
Phone: 478-825-5933

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HIGHER EDUCATION

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Fort Valley State University
Main Campus
1005 State University Drive
Fort Valley, GA 31030
Phone: 478-825-6211 Fort Valley

Miscellany

The population of Fort Valley was:
1990 - 8,198
2000 - 8,005
2009 - 8,074

Median age:
2000 - 28.5 years

Number of Housing Units:
1990 - 3,074
2000 - 3,303

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Median Household Income:
2000 - $ 19,646
2009 - $ 29,536

Per Capita Income: 2000 - $ 10,815
2009 - $ 18,136

Median House Value:
2000 - $ 56,800
2009 - $ 93,857

Fort Valley is located in the Eastern Time Zone and does participate in daylight savings time during a portion of the year.